Pancetta Crumb Halibut with Horseradish, Roasted Celeriac and Mint Pea Pureé

Baking fish with a breadcrumb topping is one of my favourite ways to eat it. It’s great for a dinner party - not only does it avoid any fishy frying smells in the kitchen (not ideal when you have people over) you can also prepare it in advance and just whack it in whenever you’re ready to eat. There is much less danger of drying out the flesh than when you fry it over a high heat so the flesh stays lovely and moist while the breadcrumb topping gives texture and crunch. You don’t have to use the pricier halibut, any meaty white fish would do such as cod or hake. Celeriac is one of my favourite vegetables for roasting and the pea mint puree is so moreish I could literally eat a bowlful of it.Horseradish gives a little heat to the dish without overpowering the delicate fish and complements the earthy flavour of the celeriac.

(£3.51 per portion - priced using frozen cod fillets)

1. Peel and chop a celeriac into 2cm cubes. Add to a parchment lined baking tray with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic granules, 1 tsp sea salt flakes and some black pepper. Toss together until roasting at 180C/200C fan for 20-25 mins until cooked through and slightly caramelised at the edges. Set aside.
2. Place 4 pancetta/streaky bacon slices over a wire rack on a baking tray and cook for 10-15 mins next to the celeriac until crispy and golden. Leave to cool.
3. Meanwhile, for the pea puree, fry a couple of finely chopped shallots in a medium saucepan over a medium heat in a little olive oil and butter. Once soft but not coloured, add 300g frozen peas with 200ml chicken stock. Simmer for a few minutes before draining, reserving the cooking liquid and adding the drained peas to a blender. Add a splash of the stock, a large handful of fresh mint leaves, the juice of half a lemon and some seasoning. Blend until smooth, adding a splash more stock if necessary, and push through a sieve to ensure it is super smooth. Set aside.
4. Add 50g panko breadcrumbs to a bowl with the zest of a lemon, a handful of finely chopped parsley, 2 tbsps grated parmesan and some seasoning. Crumble in the cooked pancetta, leaving some for garnish. Mix well.
Lay four pieces of firm white fish on a parchment lined baking tray. Spread 1 tsp horseradish over the top of each fillet and top with the pancetta breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 12-15 mins near the top of the oven so the halibut is cooked through and the breadcrumbs are slightly crispy.
5. Spread some of the puree on the plate, top with any green vegetables of your choice (I went for asparagus), place the halibut on top, scatter round the roasted celeriac cubes, crumble over some more pancetta and drizzle with a little olive oil. Enjoy.